A display device may comprise light sources that generate illumination on pixels implemented as light valves with light modulation layers of the display device. Any such pixel implemented with the light modulation layers may be set to the maximum light transmittance to generate the maximum luminance value for that pixel. Any such pixel also may be set to the minimum light transmittance to generate the minimum luminance value for that pixel.
High dynamic range images may comprise a wide range of luminance values from the minimum luminance value being a tiny fraction of a nit to the maximum luminance value being possibly over 10,000 nits or more. To render a high dynamic range image, a display device would need to support the wide range of luminance values in each and every pixel of the display device. However, to engineer a display device with high luminance range in each and every pixel of the display device not only is a technically difficult endeavor but also typically requires a relatively high electric power rating sufficient to generate the maximum luminance value in each pixel when the pixel is set to maximum light transmittance. This high power rating may preclude the display device from becoming an ENERGY STAR® certified product and from gaining economic and reputational benefits attendant to such certification.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section. Similarly, issues identified with respect to one or more approaches should not assume to have been recognized in any prior art on the basis of this section, unless otherwise indicated.